


Feel this?

by BlueNeutrino



Series: When Two Hearts Beat As One [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Comforting Sam, Dean has a Fear of Flying, Gen, Heartbeats, Panic Attacks, Prompt Fill, Scared Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 23:16:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4324581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueNeutrino/pseuds/BlueNeutrino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: Dean having some sort of panic attack, maybe due to some creature or poison which just has increased his adrenaline levels in the “Yellow Fever” style (that includes a crazy heartbeat) and Sam using his own heartbeat pace to calm him down, like in making him feel the beats and count it and trying to sync them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feel this?

“Sam, I can’t do this.”

Dean looks pale and drawn as he emerges from the bathroom stall, the sounds of retching having at last dried up. He crosses to the sink, hands still shaking as he turns on the faucet and splashes some water on his face, but it does little to help.

Sam watches him anxiously. “Sure you can, Dean. It’s just a two hour flight. You’ve gotten through it before.”

That doesn’t do much to reassure his brother. “Sam, my heart’s pounding like it’s trying to make a break for it. I feel like I’m in fucking Looney Tunes,” Dean snaps as he straightens up and rounds on Sam. His eyes are wide with panic, and Sam’s surprised to see he can see the pulse fluttering in Dean’s throat. It is very rapid. “I'm not gonna make it through a two hour flight.”

“And if we don’t break this vodou curse, you're not gonna make it through the next few hours, period,” Sam counters, and he sees even more color drain from Dean’s face. “We need to be on this next flight to Haiti, Dean. It’s a plane or bust.”

Dean gulps. He turns back to the sink and leans against it unsteadily, before reaching for even more cold water to splash over his forehead and eyes. Even the mammalian diving reflex is doing nothing to help the manic racing of his heart.

Behind him, he hears a sigh from Sam, and then he’s surprised to find his brother has come to stand right next to him. It’s a good thing the bathroom is deserted as Sam reaches for Dean’s damp hand and brings it to rest against his own chest.

Dean’s eyes widen and he instinctively tries to pull his hand back, but Sam holds him there firmly. “Sam, what the…?” he begins to murmur, but Sam shushes him.

“Feel this?” the younger brother asks, hazel eyes meeting green, and Dean finds he’s able to detect the steady beating of his brother’s heart beneath his palm. “Just focus on that.”

Dean does. It’s calming, the way Sam’s heartbeat is so steady and even compared to his own, but it won’t drown out the thunder within Dean’s chest. Anxiety is still churning in his stomach, making the painful skips and flutters of his heart worse, and Dean knows it’s not going to be stopping any time soon. His breath is still coming short and sharp with panic. “Sam…”

“Breathe with me, Dean,” Sam cuts him off, voice firm and assured compared to the quiver in Dean’s. “Like this.”

It’s an effort, but Dean tries, feeling Sam draw a slow and deliberate breath that he attempts to match. Sam’s chest swells as he breathes deep and then holds the breath in his lungs, and Dean tries to do the same while ignoring the distracting flutter of his heart.

Miraculously, it helps. Sam continues to breathe steadily for over a minute, and each time it becomes easier for Dean to copy him. His own heartbeat slows, guided by the steady rhythm of Sam’s. He’s amazed, but relieved.

After a short while, Sam moves a hand to Dean’s throat to check his pulse. He gives Dean a weak smile as he notices it’s steadier. “70 beats per minute. Almost the same as mine,” he says, finally letting go of Dean’s hand. “Better?”

Dean lets his palm linger on Sam’s chest of its own accord for a heartbeat before it finally falls to his side again. “Yeah…I think so,” he answers quietly.

“You think you can manage the flight?”

Dean doesn’t trust himself to sound confident if he answers out loud, so he just nods.

“Alright,” Sam says, still looking concerned but satisfied. “Then let’s go.”


End file.
